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SHARODNEY LIKES BEING AT HOMETeen reconnects with family
page 3
Inner Harbour tourDirector of 21st Century Schools recounts tour of Inner Harbour Campus
page 4
Family Victories from Youth Villages Georgia Spring 2011
Youth Villages charts success in Georgia...3
Angela White lives her mission to help families...6
Explorer Society partners corporations with youth...3
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Atlanta
GeorgiaDouglasvilleA message from
Our directors
Growing, helping more children
Its a great time to be helping children in Georgia!
Youth Villages recently began offering a service in the state that has a dem-
onstrated record of success in Tennessee. The transitional living program helps
young people aging out of state custody transition successfully to independent
adulthood.
Sometimes they need help getting an apartment, getting insurance or pur-
chasing a car. Some need help with parenting, preparing for college or continu-
ing education or finding employment. Young people who have been in state
care often havent been taught many of these skills other young people take for
granted.
Transitional living gives these youth a person to go to for help with these and
other issues we all face with independent living. We have 24 young people in
the program and it continues to grow. In addition, TL is being provided at no
cost to the state - the program is financially supported through donations from
individuals, organizations and Youth Villages employees.
One of our family intervention specialists, Angela White, is profiled in this
newsletter. Her story is one we can all imagine happening, and its inspiring to
see how she truly lives out her mission of helping families.
White also worked with Sharodney and his family. Sharodney learned to
overcome his personal issues and is living successfully at home. Sharodneys
mother also learned what it takes sometimes to be a family, and they are closer
than ever before.
Anne Shaw, director of 21st Century Schools, recently toured our Inner
Harbour residential campus and recorded her thoughts of the visit. Read her
column and how youth at Inner Harbour are learning through experience and
service on page 4.
Thank you for supporting Youth Villages.
Ira Blumenthal
Kenneth A. Campbell *
Robert F. Clayton
Lewis Holland Sr. *
John Hutchins *
Lynn Merrill
Jennifer S. Queen*
Robert L. Rearden III
Matthew F. Tarkenton *
David Tyler *
*member of Youth Villages
national board of directors
Youth Villages -Inner Harbour Campus 4685 Dorsett Shoals Road
Douglasville, GA 30135
phone: 770-852-6300
toll-free: 800-255-8657
fax: 770-942-2391
Atlanta (In-Home Services) 1777 Northeast Expressway NE
Suite 150
Atlanta, GA 30329
phone: 404-320-2920
fax: 404-320-2921
GEORGIALEADERSHIP COUNCIL
YOUTH VILLAGES GEORGIA OFFICES
Emily Acker and Kate Cantrell
Kate CantrellDirector of Programs, Georgia and Alabama1777 Northeast Expressway NE, Suite 150 Atlanta, GA [email protected]
Emily AckerDirector, Inner Harbour Campus4685 Dorsett Shoals Road Douglasville, GA 30135 [email protected]
TO VOLUNTEER:[email protected]
TO DONATE:[email protected]
TO WORK:[email protected]
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GEORGIA PROGRAM SUCCESS
The graph above represents where children are six months after being discharged from Youth Villages Intercept intensive in-home services. Graph reflects response rate of 63 percent and includes only youth who received at least 60 days of service. Thirteen percent of admissions end prior to 60 days.
Program Success
outcomes of children and families participating in its programs since 1994.
VOLUNTEER: BECOME A MEMBER OF THE EXPLORER SOCIETY
Sharodneys a typical teenager.
He enjoys spending time with friends, participating in school
activities and keeping his Facebook page current. He also strug-
gles with the same issues many teens have self-confidence and
self-esteem.
In Sharodneys case, his issues became more serious.
I was very disrespectful to my mom and we didnt get along, he
said. I didnt want to be at home. I didnt like myself and I didnt
have any self-esteem.
Sharodney was referred to a residential center for runaway and
self-harming behaviors. He threw temper tantrums and didnt
FAMILYS GETTING TO WHERE YOU DONT HAVE TO WORK
Family Intervention Specialist Angela White, left, visits with Sharodney and his mother, Shiray.continued on page 5
The Explorer Society is a new opportunity for corpora-
tions to get their employees out of the office for one day a
year and into the wilderness for teambuilding and per-
sonal reflection time at Youth Villages beautiful Inner
Harbour Campus.
Mary Norman, Youth Villages director of development
for Georgia, answers a few common questions about get-
ting started.
Who can become a member? Any corporation that has an interest in getting their staff involved in a day of off-site
experiential learning is eligible to participate.
What are the benefits in joining? Employees have time for bonding out of the office and get to see the work of Youth
Villages through the eyes of the children we serve. After
such exercises as the ropes course, African drumming, rock
stacking or animal-assisted therapy, the group will hear
from our Youth Villages kids. Participants will learn first-
hand how these experiential therapies are having a pro-
found impact on helping some of Georgias most troubled
children heal.
What can groups expect to do during their day at Inner Harbour? Each event is customized. We work with the com-panies to identify their goals and design a day best-suited for
continued on page 7
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Anne Shaw recently toured Youth
Villages Inner Harbour Campus. Here,
she writes about her visit.
Anne ShawDirector, 21st Century Schools
It was a perfect fall day. I
stood on the narrow paved
road that threaded its way
around the campus.
It created a tunnel
through the thousands of
trees covering the property.
The ground was carpeted in
a thick layer of leaves, and
the treetops were ablaze
with intense reds, yellows
and oranges. When the sun
shone on them they almost
looked as though they were
on fire. The silence was bro-
ken only by the quiet con-
versations of an occasional
small group of students and
teachers traveling from one
building to another. During
my three days there, you
could often hear Ameri-
Corps volunteers training in
the West African Drumming
class. Just behind me was
the magnificent yurt where
the drumming classes are
held. Nearby were the stu-
dents vegetable garden and
the pens for the residential
dogs.
I was privileged to spend
three days at Youth Villages
Inner Harbour Campus. It
is one of Georgias larg-
est psychiatric residential
treatment programs for
seriously emotionally dis-
turbed children and youth.
It is situated on 1,200 acres
covered with trees; there
are two small lakes where
students learn canoeing
and conduct environmental
water studies. The students
also enjoy equine therapy
and work with the residen-
tial therapy dogs. And they
enjoy hiking, camping and
going caving. They also
have a wonderful sports
field, running track, play-
grounds and hiking trails.
I spent time visiting
classrooms, talking with
teachers and students. Sev-
eral students were eager to
show me their PowerPoint
presentations from an inter-
disciplinary project on a fa-
mous artist they would soon
be presenting to classes at
the University of Georgia.
Their presentations also
included identification of
the state of Georgia content
standards - as does every
student project.
So many features of this
school were incredible.
On the first day, I partici-
pated in a yoga class. Later
I joined 20 new AmeriCorps
volunteers in their West
African Drumming training
- and I learned how to play!
One of the teachers took me
to see the labyrinth that the
students built; it was next
to a beautiful stream which
had a student-built bridge
across it. The school uti-
lizes the Leonard Bernstein
Artful Learning Program
evidence of their studies
in art was everywhere, from
life-size wooden sculptures
of horses to rock-balancing
sculptures.
The students are here
because they are behavior-
ally and emotionally chal-
lenged. While I saw great
things happening in the
classrooms and around the
campus, there were also pe-
riodic incidents. The coun-
selors and teachers handled
these situations calmly
and professionally, always
demonstrating great care
and respect. The culture at
Inner Harbour is incred-
ible very positive, caring,
high energy and with high
levels of trust and creativity.
The teachers credit their
principal, Dr. Penny Hon-
eycutt; and Penny credits
the teachers.
The most incredible on-site visit of my career
DIRECTOR OF 21ST CENTURY SCHOOLS TOURS INNER HARBOUR
Pictured above is one of several bridges built by the students. Below are examples of student work of rock balancing as part of their quite rigorous interdisciplinary units.
continued on page 5
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The faculty and staff
were not only very caring
and passionate about their
work; they also were some
of the very best teachers I
had ever met. Most of the
teachers have masters
degrees; they have the high-
est levels of certification
in several areas, in special
education, in their respec-
tive discipline or specializa-
tion, and every teacher is
certified as a Highly Quali-
fied Teacher.
The curriculum is inte-
grated, project-based and
focused on authentic prob-
lems. They utilize an experi-
ential model that integrates
service-learning, artful
expression, environmental
awareness and opportuni-
ties for personal growth.
The West African Drum-
ming is one of the most
popular classes, and the
students perform publicly
in and around Atlanta. They
have performed for former
President Jimmy Carter,
as well as at the John F.
Kennedy Center for the
Performing Arts in Wash-
ington, D.C., and they have
been invited to perform at
the Summer Olympics in
London in 2012.
Other programs include
animal-assisted therapy, in
which students work with
therapy dogs or participate
in the equine therapy pro-
gram, and ropes courses.
During the professional
development workshop,
the faculty and staff were
energetic, intelligent and
creative. They gave their all
in every activity and were
extremely enthusiastic
about everything presented
to them. This faculty would
be any principals dream!
It is easy to see why the
Harvard Business Review
reported Youth Villages
programs have a success
rate three times greater
than those of state-run
programs, achieved at one-
third of the cost. It delivers
this nine-fold advantage
consistently across the
seven states in which it
operates.
Last, but certainly not
least, the people at Inner
Harbour treated me to
several days of the most
gracious hospitality. I didnt
stay with any one person
as I was touring the school,
talking with students and
teachers but there was
always someone to ensure
I had every little thing I
needed.
Inner Harbour is an ex-
traordinary school.
INNER HARBOURfrom page 4
know how to cope effectively with frus-
tration. His residential stay went well,
and after returning home, Sharodney
and his family received Youth Villages
Intercept intensive in-home services.
Family Intervention Specialist An-
gela White was their counselor. She
worked individually with Sharodney
and also with Shiray, his mother.
Shiray didnt feel empowered to
help, Angela said. She needed tools
to manage those difficult times.
Intercept family intervention spe-
cialists provide family services, meet-
ing with youth and their family at least
three times each week and remaining
on call around the clock. Services are
customized to each family to meet
individual needs best.
Angela helped me out tremendous-
ly, Shiray said. I could call her at any
time, day or night, and she would help
me out. She was awesome.
Angela helped Sharodney under-
stand his behavior and what caused
it. She worked with the family to
establish rewards and consequences,
and, most importantly, she worked to
foster those innate bonds a mother
and son have. Sharodney, who initially
planned to quit school and enter a
GED program, is back at school. Hes
participating in school activities and
has plans for a positive future.
I love my mom, Sharodney said.
Youth Villages helped us a lot.
Angela insists the family did the
work on their own, she simply pointed
out those times when events could
turn one way or the other and showed
them how to turn it into a positive.
They dont have to work at it now,
Angela said. Mom is empowered in
the home. Theyre a family, and its
natural now. Sharodneys gone from
A to Z with his behavior and they are
successful.
SHARODNEYfrom page 3
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White lives YV mission and valuesMOTIVATED TO HELPAngela White, family intervention
specialist in Youth Villages Atlanta,
Ga., office, recounts a life-changing
event as if it happened yesterday:
Have you ever come home from an
outing to find a 14-year-old girl sitting
on the curb outside your home in the
pouring rain, crying, with nowhere
to go? she said. She was homeless,
helpless and hopeless, and had no
one to turn to? I have.
That girl recently graduated high
school and calls Angela mom. Now
grown and out on her own, she regu-
larly visits and claims Angelas bio-
logical children as sisters and broth-
ers. So this girl, Chiquita, is sitting in
the rain because her mother was an
addict and shed lost a place to stay.
Angela invited her in and promised
to get help.
The fear on her face left an impres-
sion on me that I have never forgot-
ten, she said.
Angela tried for weeks to get help,
and finding none, decided her home
was the best place for Chiquita.
I believed turning my back on this
situation would have made me part of
the problem, she said. I decided to
be a part of the solution.
Chiquita enlisted in the Army after
staying with Angelas family until she
was 19. But just as she was helped,
Chiquita also inspired Angela.
The experience motivated me to
pursue a career in social work, she
said. It showed me how much dedi-
cated people were needed who could
commit to the preservation of life,
family, children and human services.
Angela joined Youth Villages in
2009, after spending time in Atlanta
helping displaced survivors of Hur-
ricane Katrina find resources. Work-
ing for a program sponsored by such
agencies as The United Way of At-
lanta, The American Red Cross and
the Pleasant Hill Community Center,
Angela united family members and
other survivors, and helped them
transition to a new community. It
established a framework for her work
with families through Youth Villages
Intercept intensive in-home services
program.
Angela is a very dedicated coun-
selor and mentor in the office, said
Megan Nelson, clinical supervisor in
Youth Villages Atlanta, Ga., office.
Her passion for her work at Youth
Villages is evident in her tireless
hours and commitment to her fami-
lies. Angelas personality is larger
than life. It makes everyone want to
get to know her.
Angela recently participated in
Youth Villages national employee
conference as family intervention
specialist to one of the families fea-
tured as a success story. There, the
family and she recounted months of
work required to reunite a father with
his two daughters. But for Angelas
peers and families she works with in
Atlanta, it was only a glimpse of what
she does every day.
Angela is a strong counselor and
passionate individual, said Jewell
Gooding, clinical supervisor in Youth
Villages Atlanta Intercept office. She
goes above and beyond for her fami-
lies as well as the counselors on her
team. Angelas very involved with the
key players on each of her cases and
ensures safety as well as success for
each of our families at Youth Villages.
Angelas in the right place. She be-
lieves she was born to help children
and families. At home and at work,
she lives her mission, and she cant
imagine doing anything else.
When working with families, you
have to take empathy to a whole new
level, she said. I would do this for
free. Being able to help children re-
unify with their family and live togeth-
er successfully, and get paid, is more
than I could ever hope for in a job.
Angela White, left, with Donald, Antoinette and Khadijah, one of the families who were in the Inter-cept intensive in-home services program in Georgia. The family was featured during Youth Villages national employee conference, and has been profiled in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
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How you can help!
Join our networks
www.facebook.com/youthvillages
www.twitter.com/youthvillages
www.youthvillages.wordpress.com
There are numerous
ways to help. Volunteer or
donate such needed items
as clothing, furniture and
other supplies. Please call
or e-mail me to find out
how to help.
Mary NormanDirector of Development
There are as many different ways to sup-
port Youth Villages as there are needs for
your support. If you are new to the concept
of planned giving, please visit youthvillages.
org/ and click Donate for information. We
have information on wills and bequests, gifts
of appreciated stock, real estate, charitable
remainder trusts, gifts of retirement assets,
life insurance and charitable lead trusts.
There are definitions, wording for wills,
stories of how instruments are created
and much more. You may want to visit the
planned giving calculator to see what a
planned gift would mean in your unique cir-
cumstances. For information, contact Mary
Norman at 404-320-2969 or e-mail
THINKING ABOUTA PLANNED GIFT?
YV Builder($10,000 - $24,999)
The Coca-Cola Foundation
YV Family Champion($5,000 - $9,999)
Stacey Ann Boe Memorial FundWhitehead Childrens Christmas Fund
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth CampbellKiwanis Foundation of Atlanta Inc.
Mr. John Smith
YV Champion for Children($1,000- $4,999)Ms. Jennifer Queen
Zachariah FoundationMr. Lewis Holland
Kroger Earning Plus LearningMr. and Mrs. Stanley Dodson
Comcast FoundationMr. and Mrs. Matthew TarkentonDruid Hills Presbyterian Church
Dan and Merrie Boone FoundationDon and Celia Scarbrough
YV Leader($500 - $999)
Mr. Thomas BrooksSautee Nacoochee Cultural Arts Center
Target - Take Charge of Education ProgramTull Charitable Foundation
LGE Community Credit UnionCrime Awareness and Prevention Education
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher HunterKAPPA Foundation of Georgia Inc.
Ms. Linda RamseyRotary Club of Douglas County
Smyrna Optimist ClubZoo Atlanta/Group Sales
YV Friend(Gifts up to $499)Atlanta Womens Club
Atlanta Botanical GardensStan Jones and Barbara ClevelandMt. Zion United Methodist Women
Mrs. Judith MyersPublix Partners
Ms. Jane DavenportMr. Barry McWhirter
Mr. and Mrs. W. Wright and Wade T. Mitchell
Mr. Edward Croft
Mr. Frank WinnMs. Lynn Merrill
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen BaconMr. Wayne BradleyMr. Stockton CroftMs. Jane Fahey
Dog River GradingNorth Georgia Dollmakers Club
Mr. David PahlMr. Gordon Sherman
Mrs. Judy TurnellMr. Thomas Wardell
Mr. Armstead BrownMr. Joe BrucknerMr. Jimmy Fluker
William Levine HouseholdMr. John McCollum
Ms. Harriet SessomsMs. Elaine Tarkenton
Fernbank MuseumMr. Clifton Goolsby
Mr. Ryan HilliardLydia Circle of Christ United
Methodist ChurchMr. Spencer Preis
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Reid
United Way of Metro Atlanta/Combined Federal Campaign (ongoing contributions)
IBM Employee Services Center Phil Ringo
Suntrust One Pledge Campaign Cynthia Whitaker
Joy San Walker Brown
Gifts in KindAtlanta Botanical Gardens
Mr. Thomas BrooksMs. LaShawn Certain
Federal Reserve Monetary MuseumFernbank Museum
Ms. Linda G. MaddoxMs. Mona Russell
Zoo Atlanta
CONTRIBUTIONSThanks to our many supporters
their needs.
What does the Explorer Society mean to the kids? The children share what theyre learning and
witness the interest that corpora-
tions and their employees have
in our mission.
What does the Explorer Society mean to Youth Villages?
Spending time on the campus
with the kids and taking part in
some of the experiential learning
programs help excite employees
and the corporation as a whole.
When employees experience our
mission on a personal level, they
are more likely to volunteer and
offer support.
For information, please contact
Norman at 404-320-2969 or
EXPLORER SOCIETYfrom page 3
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1777 Northeast Expressway NESuite 150Atlanta, GA 30329(Address Service Requested)
Alabama: Anniston, Birmingham, Dothan, Huntsville, MobileArkansas: Jonesboro, Little RockFlorida: Lakeland, Miami, TampaGeorgia: Atlanta, DouglasvilleMassachusetts:Mississippi: Biloxi, Hattiesburg, Hernando, Jackson, TupeloNew Hampshire: ManchesterNorth Carolina: Asheville, Charlotte, Concord, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Greenville, Hickory, Pinehurst, Raleigh-Durham, WilmingtonTennessee: Chattanooga, Clarksville, Columbia, Cookeville, Dickson, Dyersburg, Jackson, Johnson City,Knoxville, Linden, Memphis, Morristown, Nashville, ParisTexas: DallasWashington, D.C.
NONPROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE
PAIDYOUTH VILLAGES
Please e-mail [email protected] or call 404-320-2969
to have your name removed from our mailing list.
New Heights Georgia is published by Youth Villages
Managing Editor: Mary Norman
Associate Editor: Chris Pennington
Founded in Memphis, Tenn., in 1986, Youth Villages has built a national reputation for offering the most effective pro-
a fully integrated continuum of services, including residential treatment, in-home services, foster care and adoption, mentoring and a transitional living program for young adults aging out of foster care.